Denture cleaner



y 3, 1963 B. K. MILBOURNE 3,098,496

DENTURE CLEANER Filed Feb. 6, 1961 g sh t -s t 1 BY W A TTUEA/EK;

July 23, 1963 a. K. MILBOURNE DENTURE CLEANER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1961 ATTOE/VEXS United States Patent 3,098,496 DENTURE CLEANER Benjamin K. Milbourne, 319 Winchester Road, San Jose, Calif. Filed Feb. 6, 1961, Ser. No. 87,450 4 Claims. (til. 134-166) This invention relates to a combination of a denture cleaner and soaking cup for dentures. More particularly the invention relates to a simple device which can be attached to a faucet whereby dentures can be cleaned by directing tiny streamed water at the dentures from all directions without subjecting the dentures to any abrasive action and wherein the device can be inverted and used as a soaking cup.

As is known, dentures require a thorough daily cleans ing, and it is also common practice to soak the dentures at night in a solution. It is also known that dentures must be cleaned without subjecting them to the action of abrasives and that they should be cleaned under conditions wherein they are prevented from coming into contact with hard objects; dentures should not even be permitted to contact each other.

In accordance with the present invention, an effective denture cleaning and soaking kit is provided in the form of a box having double walls with water passages therebetween and having countless small holes leading from the passages in the top and sides of the box to the interior so that dentures in the box are sprayed with many fine but strong jets from all directions. In a preferred embodiment, the box is divided into two compartments so that an upper and lower denture can be washed separately. The box is provided with a removable, perforated bottom so that water can drain from the box during washing. For soaking the cover is removed and the box inverted. Further, the denture cleaner is provided with a soft rubber nozzle so that it may be merely held against any ordinary faucet for conducting the cleaning operation.

In the drawings forming part of this application:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the present invention with some of the parts cut away for greater clarity.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view on the line 22 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a reduced sectional view on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 5 is an enlarged sectional view through a portion of one wall of the device.

FIGURE 6 is a perspective view of the device in the inverted position showing its use for soaking dentures.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters, the device of the present invention comprises a box-like member having a top 7, side walls '9 and 11 and end walls 13 and 15. Preferably the walls are made of a plastic material. Within each of the walls described, and spaced slightly therefrom, is a thinner inner wall generally designated 17 leaving a pas-sage 19 therebetween serving as a water inlet passage. The inner wall '17 has a series of ridges "21 therein. Both the wall 17 as well as the ridges 21 have a plurality of small passageways 23 therein so that water under pressure is not only squirted straight from the wall but also is squirted out at various angles as is more clearly shown in FIGURE 5.

In the wall 13 there is located a funnel-like passage 25 which leads through the opening 27 to the passages 19. The larger end of the passage 25 is provided with a soft rubber gasket 29 which has a series of ridges 3'1 and a central opening 33. In this manner, water under pressure can be conveyed into the device merely by pressing gasket 29 against an ordinary water outlet 35. It will be obvious that because of the ridges 31, a substantially water-tight seal will be made with any faucet nozzle normally encountered in practice.

Within the passages 19 formed by the two walls, are a series of bafile members 37 which serve to distribute water evenly throughout all of the passages.

Preferably the box is divided into two compartments by a center partition 39 so that each of the dentures constituting a pair can be in a separate box and will not abrade while being washed. The center partition is provided with passages and perforated walls as previously described.

The bottom of the box has a slot 41 therein so that mesh or screen member 43 can be inserted into the slot thereby constituting a perforated bottom.

In use, the dentures are placed in the two compartments, the perforated cover 43 inserted and the gasket 29 held against a source of flowing water. Since the water sprays the dentures from all directions, they will be thoroughly cleansed in a short period of time. The box may then be inverted, as is shown in FIGURE 6, and a soaking solution placed therein so that the box constitutes a convenient soaking cup. The perforated member 43 may or may not be used during the soaking operation.

Although the perforated cover has been described as being inserted in a slot 41, it is obvious that the perforated cover could be removably fastened to the box in a variety of ways. For instance, it could be attached by magnets, snaps or could be hinged.

It is believed apparent from the foregoing that I have described a novel denture cleaner which also serves as a soaking cup.

I claim:

1. A denture cleaner and soaker comprising a double- Walled, box-like rnember open over substantially its entire bottom and having a removable perforated cover for the bottom, the outer Wall of said double walled structure being closed except for an opening substantially at the bottom thereof, a series of passages formed between the inner and outer walls of the box and having a plurality of spray pass-ages leading to the interior of the box from the inner wall, means for introducing water under pressure in the space between said inner and outer walls, said box being usable as a spray device when in a first upright position and usable as a soaking device when in a second inverted position.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the box is divided into two compartments.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein at least one wall has a series of ridges with fiat spaces between the ridges and with spray passages within said ridges and in said flat spaces.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the means for introducing water includes a resilient member which can be pressed against a water outlet to provide a substantially water-tight seal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1.388,431 Hock Aug. 23, 1921 2,617,519 O Sullivan Nov. 11, 1952 2,659,380 Jackson Nov. 17, 1953 2,669,243 Reynolds et al. Feb. 16, 1954 2,893,410 Frekko July 7, 1959 2,964,047 Jackson et a1. Dec. 13, 1960 2,973,767 Cohen Mar. 7, 1961 3,009,468 Eberle Nov. 21, 196-1 

1. A DENTURE CLEANER AND SOAKER COMPRISING A DOUBLEWALLED, BOX-LIKE MEMBER OPEN OVER SUBSTANTIALLY ITS ENTIRE BOTTOM AND HAVING A REMOVABLE PERFORATED COVER FOR THE BOTTOM, THE OUTER WALL OF SAID DOUBLE WALLED STRUCTURE BEING CLOSED EXCEPT FOR AN OPENING SUBSTANTIALLY AT THE BOTTOM THEREOF, A SERIES OF PASSAGES FORMED BETWEEN THE INNER AND OUTER WALLS OF THE BOX AND HAVING A PLURALITY OF SPRAY PASSAGES LEADING TO THE INTERIOR OF THE BOX FROM THE INNER WALLS, MEANS FOR INTRODUCING WATER UNDER PRESSURE IN 